Point of Sale Merchandise

Point of Sale Merchandise

Marketing professionals have long studied the specifics of spending habits among consumers and most agree that somewhere around three-quarters of all purchasing decisions are made once the customer arrives at the store. In addition, about 40 percent of all purchases are spontaneous.

However, despite the ease of POS sales, if you’re considering just how to be the most effective, you will want to be sure to showcase displays that truly highlight your point of sale merchandise. You’ll also want to choose your POS items carefully so as to get the most out of your marketing dollars.

The latter might involve tracking sales of certain items you’re considering for these impulse-buying displays to determine where your money is best spent. After all, you want your display to be successful and that means a combination of both good marketing and a wonderful, artistic design.

So what attracts customers to your point of sale merchandise?

Well, marketing surveys show that there are a number of factors that draw interested parties to a display and make them stay there and eventually make a purchase.

• A “gimmick” – You need to include something that catches the eye of the customer. It might be a large sign that blinks. It could be a digital display. It might include a small giveaway or some other sort of promotional incentive. Discuss this with your marketing staff to figure out what will work best for you and for the particular product you’re promoting.

• A good price – Point of sale items will rarely move off the shelves if you’re not providing an incentive to buy, and that usually means offering a good price. As a matter of fact, a “sale” should always be part of your point of sale displays. Whether you’re promoting a new product or trying to move something you over-purchased, attract your customers with the best deal you can offer. Buy one, get one is always a good idea if the profits can sustain such an offer. (Similarly, “buy four, get the fifth free” or something akin to that works well, too.)

• The human touch – If the point of sale merchandise you are promoting lends itself to this, you might enhance your display with a presentation. Food items are easy to promote as you can simply allow a staff member to pass out samples. But you can also do demonstrations with certain products where applicable, such as cleaning products or certain electronics.

Think about the above before you purchase a display. Remember, point of sale merchandise displays come in all shapes and sizes, from “throwaways” made of heavy cardboard to much more long-lasting displays that cost a lot to produce.

There are some you may be able to reuse with different products and others that will certainly be geared to one particular item or brand. As you consult with your shop fitter, talk about your intentions and decide which will work best for you. It may be a combination of both.